04-09-2008, 07:03 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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Pure Greatness
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 2,852
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Buckner Gets Love At Fenway
Quote:
One of the symbols of Red Sox [team stats] Nation’s past frustrations was welcomed back with open arms yesterday.With a packed house at Fenway cheering his every step, Bill Buckner slowly walked in from left field, acknowledging a thunderous ovation and dabbing tears from his eyes. He made his way to the mound, delivered a perfect curveball to ex-teammate Dwight Evans, and punctuated the ceremonial first pitch with a strike call.
“The Red Sox fans were great. They’ve always been great,” said Buckner, who played for the Sox from 1984-1987 and again in 1990. “I’ve alwayed liked the way the fans are here. I don’t like apathetic, middle-of-the-road fans. I played at Dodger Stadium and fans were leaving in the seventh inning.
I did my best, played hard and I know they appreciated that. I just want to thank the fans for all the support they gave me, especially (yesterday).”It wasn’t always that way for Buckner, who has been cast as the player whose error in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series swung momentum to the New York Mets. It is a burden the Buckner family has dealt with for the past 22 years.
“I didn’t feel I like deserved it,” Buckner said. “If I felt like it was my fault, I’d step up to the plate and say, ‘If I wasn’t here, the Red Sox would have won.’ But I really can’t do it. Where do you draw the line? Is it OK to disrupt and ruin people’s lives over a baseball game. Not that it did mine, but the hard part is my family having to deal with it.”
One of Buckner’s children was among the throng of media people in attendance. Christen Buckner, a reporter for Fox 12 in Boise, Idaho, admitted there were times when she heard derisive remarks when she played softball.
“I’d hear about it occasionally when I made an error in softball,” she said. “Most of the kids were pretty cool about it, but now and then, someone would say something about it.”
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A hero’s welcome - BostonHerald.com
I feel bad for him, especially when people talk smack about his kids, which is uncalled for. Nice to see the Boston fans, show him some love.
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